The Fruit of the Vine
by NeoMars
Summary: The Turtles thought they knew where they came from, how they were created, a mere accident. But one night, a stranger decides to shed some light on the subject. The four brothers learn something that changes their lives and their concept of family. Confused and lost, they must fight for answers. However, one simple fact is clear; Splinter has lied to them.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 _Welp. Hi there! This is my very first fanfic on .net and I'm so excited to see where it goes! This really has no desired time frame or version, you lovely readers can decide that for yourselves. I really don't know what I'm doing so feel free to point out any mistakes you see!_

 _Thanks to_ _ **EmilyGrace18**_ _for beta reading this and getting me to write it. (Y'all should check out her stories…)I changed a few things after she read through this, so any present mistakes are all my doing._

 _Rated because I'm paranoid…_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own them… If I did I wouldn't be writing this.**

* * *

A cry broke through the still, New York night, followed by whoops and hollers. Leonardo watched from the shadows as his brothers engrossed themselves in a game of Ninja Tag. His immediate younger brother, Raphael, being the 'it', well, one should expect many screams from the youngest. Michelangelo ran and leaped across the rooftops as he taunted his elder brother. Blue eyes scanned the night in search of his genius brother, worry swelled in Leo's chest but was quickly diminished when Donatello rocketed from a nearby fire escape with a whop of joy.

A smile made its way across his face as he ran after his brothers, bandana tails flying behind him. "You're too slow, Raph!" Mikey taunted his older brother and Leo couldn't help but laugh as Mikey blew a raspberry in Raph's direction.

"Just you wait Mikey! You can't run forever," Raph let out a good-natured growl while steadily gaining ground. The orange-clad turtle shot a grin towards Donnie, who nodded in return. Leo had a sinking suspicion that the game was going to end very soon; a flash of color confirming them.

Leo saw Raph corner the two with the thought that he had won, "Told ya you couldn't run forever," Raph grinned as he took deliberate steps towards the younger turtles. "I win." Mikey and Donnie shared a look, "That's what you think, Raphie-boy." He watched as Mikey's face split into a grin, stretching ear to ear and Donnie's small, gap-toothed grin.

Without warning, Raph lunged only to be greeted with a bright green water balloon to the face. "Yeah boy! In your face, Raph!" The red-banded turtle stood dumbfounded, water dripping from his chin. It didn't take long for Mikey to fall flat on his shell while Donnie failed to stifle his own laughter.

Raph let out a low growl, "Ya think that's funny, don't ya?" The younger turtles froze.

"Now now, Raph… No need to be rash," Don held up his hands in a calming gesture as he and Mikey began taking slow steps back.

"Heh, this is gonna hurt you a lot more than it's gonna hurt me." Raph smirked as he cracked his knuckles, and Mikey let out a very girly-like scream, latching on to his older brother when the angered turtle began to advance. "C'mon Raph! It was just a prank!" Leo shook his head when Mikey used the age-old excuse, but he decided it was time to intervene when Raph began to lunge.

"Alright, Raph, that's enough. I think they learned their lesson." He jumped down from his perch and placed himself between his brothers.

"Ah, c'mon Leo! Let me at 'em," With arms crossed and a frown firmly in place, the eldest turtle just shook his head when Raph begged to smack the younger brothers. "Raphael, it's just a silly prank. You know how those two get when there aren't any, as you say, heads to bust." Leo smirked when his immediate younger brother surrendered with a few growls.

Hearing snickers coming from behind him, Leo turned with his hands on his hips. "So, which one of you is up for a run across the city?" The laughter stopped, all amusement draining from their faces. "You can't be serious, Leo! We just ran like… A lot!" Whined Mikey. "What, can't handle a few more rooftops?" Raph sniggered,

"You realize you're running too, right Raph?"

The turtle in question froze. "What?! Why do I have to? I did nothing!" Leo rolled his eyes at his brother's outburst, glancing over his shoulder.

"And Mike? I suggest you drop that water balloon." Said turtle halts, mid-throw, and his face slumps as he replies.

"You're not allowed to use your freaky brother-mind reading power around us, dude. It's not fair." Mikey frowned, dropping the balloon to the ground with a splash.

"I'm not reading your mind, Mikey. I've just been unfortunate enough to live with you for fifteen years to know when you're thinking something stupid.

He falters, his face molding into a pout, "That's fair… I guess."

"Good," Leo says. "Now let's move!"

* * *

It was nearing early morning by the time Leo and his brothers came to a stop, each breathing hard. "Ugh… Did you have to make us run _so_ far?" Leo watched as Mikey dramatically flung himself across the rooftop, nearly tripping Donnie in the process.

Donnie stumbled before regaining his balance and he placed his hands on his knees, breathing hard."Man, Leo, when you said a few more miles…" A pause to catch his breath, "I didn't think you meant… across the entirety of the," A huff, "City…"

"Oh come on guys! It wasn't that bad, was it Raph?" When he didn't get a reply, the turtle in blue turned to find his brother snoring soundly against a water tower. "Well, I guess it was a bit much," Leo sighed and sat down, leaning against the ledge of their current rooftop.

"I don't understand why you insist on these runs, Leo." Donnie, who finally seemed to have a steady breathing rhythm, questioned the blue-banded leader.

Leo turned to stare at his genius brother, "What do you mean by that, Don?" Donnie shook his head. "What I mean is that Splinter pushes us hard enough. Don't you think you should lay off a bit?"

Leo scowled, feeling a twinge of irritation. "Master Splinter says that we have to stay on our toes. The Foot could strike at any moment and we have to be prepared."

He heard a scoff from his awakened hotheaded brother, "Really, Fearless? I ain't buying that. You just want to be able to boss us around like the stuck-up turtle you are,"

Leo threw his hands up in the air, "Time and time again I have told that that isn't the reason, Raph! I'm just trying to fulfill Splinter's wishes!" He paused, taking a deep breath.

"I'm trying to protect you."

"Like shell you are! We can protect ourselves just fine, Leo!"

"Says the one who's always running headfirst into battle? The one who attacks first, asks questions never?" Leo huffed angrily. Now was not the time to be having another argument with his brother. It was almost past curfew and if they didn't get home soon, Splinter would have their shells.

"Look Raph, Splinter wants us to be prepared for anything. It's not my fault he's overbearing and overprotective. He wants to keep us safe."

Before the other could give him a heated reply, the temperature dropped. The four of them stood rigid, argument forgotten as they began to shiver, and Leo frowned when he saw their breaths begin to fog up in clouds. "What the shell…" He vaguely heard Raph let out an angry mutter as he stared up at the sky.

The moon had disappeared, along with the stars, a thick layer of clouds casting overhead. The street lamps surrounding the building they currently occupied had gone out, leaving them in the pitch-blackness of night. Any traces of light had just up and vanished from sight.

"This doesn't make any sense! It's the middle of spring. It shouldn't suddenly get this cold." Leo turned to see his brother examining the sky as he rubbed his arms. "What does that mean, Donnie?" The genius shot him an incredulous look, "It means that there is something seriously wrong with the weather right now. The temperature just doesn't drop like this and clouds don't appear out of nowhere."

Leo shook his head and walked to the edge of the building, looking out across the city. He did a double take. Not a single light shone throughout the street, not even from the apartment windows where at least some humans would be awake; considering the hour. He was truly confused, and was sure his brothers were too.

"Donnie…" The small and quiet voice of the youngest cut through the silence like a knife. "What's going on?" All eyes turned to Mikey, seeing his blue eyes full of fear and confusion made their own panic sky-rocket.

"I don't know, Mike. None of it makes sense. The lights, the weather, shell, even this silence… It's… Unnerving to say the least." Donnie continued to scour the rooftops and skies for any explanation to the strange phenomenon occurring. If one could even call it that.

"Is it magic?" Mikey piped up again, "'Cause I read something like this once… April gave me a book on it, I think." Raph let out a laugh, a tense and forced laugh, but a laugh none the less. "So, what? Evil warlocks are behind this? I find that hard to believe, Mikey."

The orange-clad turtle let out a huff, "That's not what I meant, Raph!" Wrapping his arms around himself, Mikey pointedly turned his head, causing Leo to sigh and crouch down in front of him.

"Mikey, what was in the book that April gave you? What did you read?" His brother glanced down at his hands before meeting Leo's gaze.

"I can't remember it very well," He began, ignoring Raph's mutter of " _Some good that does us."_. "It said something about Shadow Demons or Itzcoli…uhqui… Yeah. _Itzcoliuhqui._ They bring with them cold and darkness." His brow furrowed as he concentrated on remembering what the book said. "They show up unexpectedly, the only warning being the sudden… departure of light and a drop in temperature…" As he continued talking, Leo unconsciously reached for his katanas, Raph and Donnie reaching for their weapons as well.

Sensing their brother's unease, Mikey quickly shook his head. "The book said that they don't show themselves unless they have something to tell the receiver. They're leader… Jezebeth, I think it was, will refuse to lend a hand to those who want it but do not need it. Or if she needs to reveal a falsehood raised as a truth, or something like that." Leo watched as Mikey struggled with trying to explain what the book meant. "I… I think that these creatures are very violent and secretive when it comes to their missions," A sharp intake of breath later, "I think they want to tell us something."

"Alright, I've heard enough." Leo, Mikey, and Raph whipped their heads around to stare at Donnie. "Come on! You two seriously can't be believing this, can you?" Leo stayed silent and Raph let out a grunt, "Magic and 'helpful' demons? Sounds like a load of bull if you ask me. When are demons ever helpful towards us?" Leo opened his mouth to speak but quickly closed it when Donnie shot him a glare. "That doesn't count, Leo, and you know it. And another thing, I have looked into Greek mythology, Roman mythology, heck, even those children myths we heard of as kids! Not once did I ever come across any _Itzcoliuhqui_ or any demon goddess named Jezebeth!"

"And you have a better explanation for it, Donnie?"

"Well… Uh- no, I don't."

"Then this is the best we've got,"

Leo inhaled and exhaled before turning back to the youngest, who had dropped his gaze back down to his hands. "Mikey, do you still have that book?"

He nodded. "It's in the dojo. Master Splinter told me to keep it in there."

Leo gave his brother a smile, "You did good, little brother." He felt warmth spread through his chest when he saw the mischievous glint return to Mikey's eyes and he let out a chuckle. "You hear that, Donnie? I knew something you didn't!" Mikey stuck his tounge out at the genius.

"Shut it Mikey!

The two brothers laughed, momentarily forgetting about their current situation. But then it came crashing back, and the four of them lapsed into silence.

Time seemed to drag on and still, nothing happened. No horned devils popping out of the earth. No shadows creeping up from behind. No magical sparks of light dancing through the air. Just- nothing.

And then it struck. That single beam of light set it all off. That beam of light had darkened and expanded, growing into a thick and dark mist. Small blots of black goop dotted the rooftop, those too growing to larger proportions. The ground began to tremble, and Leo shot to his feet, his brothers following suit.

Weapons drawn, back to back, they stood on the defense. Leo's gaze flicked to and fro as dread settled in his stomach. _"Mikey, if you're right about this, and these guys are who you say they are… I hope this doesn't end how I'm imagining it."_ Shaking his head he gripped his katanas firmly in his hands, silently charting escape routes if need be.

Steeled and ready, they watched as figures began to rise from the puddles of darkness, taking shape. Leo tilted his head as he watched, they looked like the silhouettes of normal people, completely harmless; then he realized shadows don't have hideous deformed body structures or glowing red eyes.

The two sides stood stock-still. Turtle and shadow in a standoff. Neither side advancing. The silence dragging on forever. All seemed perfectly fine, despite the ominous feeling of death hanging over their heads.

"Ah, so the mighty turtles finally make an appearance…" A woman's voice echoed across the rooftop; it sounded resonant and it had a slight hiss to it. "Now I wonder if what the Oracle says is true. We shall soon find out, won't we my little pets?" A low chuckle sounded throughout the shadow creatures, sending shudders down Leo's spine. It seemed wrong, all of it. He didn't know if it was because of that woman, or the fact that this could very well end horribly. Whatever the cause, he knew that whatever that book had said did not matter as of now. These creatures were not friendly. Leo had a feeling that whatever was going to happen, it wasn't going to be good.

"Who are you?" The voice laughed and the shadows parted to reveal what had become of the earlier mist.

A woman dressed in a long and flowing black gown stepped from the crowd. Two shining black wings unfurled from her back and ivory horns sprouted from her head. Her night-black hair went down to her exposed, pale waist. Skin deathly white, eyes ruby red, she truly looked like a queen of the underworld.

"You should know, turtle, given that your baby brother has already told you so much about me and my disciples." She spoke with a smug smile and a tone that would suit those of royalty. "But if you must be so _dense_ , I shall tell you." The woman regarded the brothers coolly, and Leo did not enjoy the look in her eyes as her gaze settled on him. "My name is Jezebeth, and I am known throughout the Spiritual Plane as the ruler of the _Itzcoliuhqui,_ mistress of the Purgatory. I have control over darkness and shadows; I gain power from sorrow and anger. One does not simply encounter me and return to their dwellings unscathed. I am the bringer of not only death, but also the truth of one's upbringing."

Leo stared at the woman, "What do you mean by 'the truth of one's upbringing'? What does that have to do with us?"

Jezebeth laughed, "Oh, Leonardo," She shook her head and clasped her hands together. "Naïve boy, I have so much to share with you! Starting with your origin story," Her eyes turned cold as she glared at the brothers. "You, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo began as ordinary and tiny baby turtles, yes? And your… Master, began as a man?" She let out a satisfied hum when Leo nodded, confirming her claims. "Yes, and you came to be as you are now by the glowing, green ooze you Terrenes call Mutagen." Leo nodded again, not quite grasping what this woman was getting at. "Raised in the art of ninjutsu, beneath the turf of the _humans;_ truly believing that rat to be your father." She chuckled, "Well, Turtles, I am betting that you would be very astounded to hear that your whole life is a lie." She was met with dead silence.

When she didn't get a reply, Jezebeth let out a sigh, "Such disappointment, I was expecting more from you." Shaking her head, the witch snapped her fingers, and the shadows leapt. Screeches and grunts erupted from the rooftop. Leo had given to order to run, but his voice was drowned out in the fighting. He saw Donnie and Mikey standing back to back with weapons, Nun-Chucks and Bo-Staff flashing out into the creatures, barely leaving a scratch. A flash and a scream later, the brothers fell, taken down for the count.

"Mikey, Donnie!" Leo started towards the duo but Raph beat him to it,

"You stay away from them, you freaks!" Raph's enraged shout could be heard above the screeches of the creatures and Leo watched as he stabbed his sai through the demons; thinking Raph could hold his own for now, Leo slashed his way through the crowd, hoping to reach the demon lady responsible for this. His katanas ripped through a wall of the shadows to reveal Jezebeth, standing in all of her smug glory.

Just before he could charge another scream split they air. Leo's blood froze and he turned ever so slightly to see his immediate younger brother backhanded to the asphalt. "No! Raph!" Gripping his swords with new found strength he ran at the wicked woman, determined to take her down.

He didn't get more than a few feet before she lashed out with a blue flame and he crumpled to the ground. He feebly reached for his nearest katana, but alas, it was kicked out of reach and Jezebeth grinned widely. "Sweet dreams, Leonardo." He vaguely heard her sugar-coated sarcasm as the world began to fade to darkness, "All will be revealed in due time…" And the last of the light his blue eyes could detect shrunk and finally, disappeared into the black.

 **TBC**

 _Well… What do you think? Let me know if I should continue…_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Tk 2

 _Here it is! The second chapter! I want to thank all of those who read and reviewed my story; it means more to me than you know. I am a week late with posting this chapter, saylavee… I'm kind of iffy with this one, tell me what y'all think!_

 _Thanks to_ _ **EmilyGrace10**_ _for beta reading. Again, check out her stories, if you will._

 _(Mild language… Like… One word.)_

 **Disclaimer: I don't, nor will I ever, own them.**

 _Clank…_

Light flickered through the dark.

 _Clank…!_

A groan pierced the silence.

 _Clank!_

Blue eyes struggled to open, the darkness seeming to go on forever.

 _CLANK!_

That was it. The black dissipated and Leo opened his eyes to see a wet, dank concrete floor. Confused, he lifted his head and saw that the walls and ceiling were of the same material. Light seeped through a small grate from the roof of his current… prison; far too small for a mutant turtle to fit through. He then noticed the constant banging coming from said grate and he saw a flicker of light in sync with the clanking.

For a disorienting moment he forgot how he came to be here. Then the fog cleared from his head and it all came rushing back. Unable to bare it, he panicked.

His breathing picked up and he was on his hands and knees in an instant, images of the past events flashed within his head. Jezebeth and the freaky blue flames that sparked from her finger tips in a cold inferno. The shadows that had screamed in the battle, shattering any peace that had been left. His brothers being struck down- His brothers.

His train of thought abruptly derailed as Leo's eyes swept the cell, desperate to know that his brothers made it out alive. His gaze landed on a slumped form in the far corner and, judging by the size of it, he guessed that it was Raph.

"Raph," Ignoring the coarseness and the crack in his voice Leo called to his younger brother. "Raphael!" Still, he got no reply "Wake up!" He grunted as he tried to move, pain shooting through his left side. Even so, he dragged his abused and battered body towards the hothead, praying that he was okay. Once within arm's length he reached out and gave Raph's shoulder a shake. Nothing. He applied more force, which earned him a groan from the unconscious turtle. "Come on, buddy, time to get up."

Raph swiped at him, "Back off, Leo. 'M tryin' to sleep."

Leo scowled and shook him again, "Get up, Raph! I don't know where we are, Donnie and Mikey aren't with us, and we're in some sort of cell. I _need_ you to wake up." Raph's eyes snapped open, slowly rolling to the side as they met Leo's own. With newfound strength, Raph sat up, even though he swayed a bit. With tense muscles and angered eyes, he glared daggers at the turtle in blue.

Leo, following suit, met his brother's glower with unwavering anger of his own. He watched as Raph began breathing hard, his fists clenching and unclenching.

The two sat in silence for several moments. One trying to comprehend what he just heard.

"What do you mean, _'Donnie and Mikey_ aren't _with us,'?_ " Raph's gruff voice, laced with exasperation, echoed through the cell. He slowly turned to gain his bearings, taking in the dull walls of their current prison. "That… Witch and her little puppets took our little brothers away from us?"

Leo nodded, "That, and this place doesn't seem to have any way in or out, and Donnie is usually the one who can figure this kind of stuff out." He sighed, bowing his head. "Shell, I hope they're okay." Raph grunted and the silence returned.

After a moment Leo swiped his hand over his face with a groan, "This is all my fault, isn't it? If I had called the retreat sooner, heck, maybe even made us go home when all the freaky stuff started happening, then we wouldn't even be in this mess!"

He felt a hand on his shoulder, "Leo, this ain't your fault. If anything, it's that damn witch's fault. She's the one who brought us here. She's the one who separated us. She's the one to blame." Leo looked up to meet his gaze once again. What surprised him was the fear that swam in those green depths. Raph was never one to show any other emotion besides anger. This was new.

It was then that Leo realized they were in some real trouble. He didn't know where they were, and he doubted Master Splinter even realized that they were missing yet. He had no idea where his baby brothers were, nor did he have any way to escape with Raph. Knowing Donnie, he probably would have figured out the schematics of this box even without the blueprints. But he wasn't Donnie, and Donnie wasn't with them. Leo huffed and slowly scooted backwards to lean against the wall, grunting as the small movement made his wounds flare up again.

"This is just… peachy." His voice sounded strained and rough, nothing like how it should sound. Staring down at the floor, Leo felt Raph's gaze on him again, but he refused to look up. Then the red-banded turtle suddenly stood up and shuffled over to where the leader sat and held out his hands.

"Let me see." Leo just stared at him dumbly, and Raph gave him a skeptical look as he nodded to the injury in question. Raph made some type of hissing sound as he looked over his arm. "Shell," Leo heard him breathe out through clenched teeth. "She got you good, bro, whatever it was she got you with."

" _Fire."_

The word left Leo's mouth before he could even think and he snapped his jaw shut with an audible snap. He kept his gaze glued to his hands as Raph slowly lifted his head to stare at his brother.

"What…?"

The eldest sighed, "Jezebeth has power. She's got this… fire magic. It's blue. It hurts." It was then that he decided to launch into the story of what happened after Raph went down. Though he couldn't remember much, except for the demon's freaky fire powers and her creepy message, he told all his memory would allow. When he was finished recalling the events that occurred with her he saw a change in Raph's demeanor.

"So we've not only got a horde of shadow creatures to deal with, we've got a demonic woman with weird fire powers that wants to prove somethin' to us?" Leo nodded again. "And by provin' that somethin', she separates us from our little brothers and locks us in a door less cell?"

"Sounds about right," Leo hummed, his thoughts following along the lines of what Raph had just said. _"Whatever it is that she wants to tell us, I hope she makes it fast."_ Distracted for a moment, he barely had enough time to duck down, lest he get a fist to the face. He turned his shocked gaze towards his brother, who was breathing a lot harder than before, but that fire returned full force to his electric gaze.

Raphael let out a growl, "I swear if she touches 'em, if I see even one scratch marring their skin, she's gettin' one hell of a beat down."

"Feelings mutual, Raph, but it's not like we can do anything from here." He slumped, "Man, you think they're gonna feed us?"

Raph let out a snort, "What, ya think they're just gonna let us starve? I find that doubtful, Leo." He paused, "Come to think of it, how would they get food down here? They just gonna drop it down the vent?" Images of food falling from the ceiling and splattering on the ground filled his head.

"That would just be rude," Leo grimaced. "And unsanitary…" Raph barked out his laughter and Leo soon followed. He was pretty sure it was out of hysteria but he couldn't care less at this point. Right now, he was just glad Raph was with him to laugh with, forget for a moment that he was missing two others. He stopped laughing, and the quiet returned.

"I wonder what Don and Mikey are doin' now…" He looked at Raph, who was tapping his chin. "She'd probably stuck 'em in a similar cell, yeah?"

"Yeah, probably, but I wouldn't doubt that Donnie's on his way to figuring a way out." He smirked, "Mikey's most likely cheering him on, sitting on the sidelines." Leo looked down again, "Do you think they're okay?"

He nearly jumped when Raph flicked him on the head, "Bonehead. Of course they're okay. She needs them alive too, ya know."

Leo sighed, "I know, I can't help but worry though." Raph gave him a nudge. "That's the big brother in you, it's in your nature to be a worry wart. " Leo just shrugged.

He then realized that the ringing in his ears never had left. He never noticed it before because he was too caught up with Raph, but it was gradually getting louder. "What the…" Leo furrowed his brow as the sound was turning into a whine of sorts. He exchanged a confused glance with his brother and then a popping began. Then the noises suddenly halted, and _her_ voice broke through the hushed room.

Leonardo's blood ran cold, "Good evening, turtles." Jezebeth's voice sounded melodic, Leo could just hear the smirk she probably wore. "I hope you slept well, because I have a big day planned. However, you must be wondering why I even brought you here. Well, that will be revealed with time and pati-"

"What did ya do with our little brothers, witch?!" Raph cut her off, demanding explanations. When Leo went to grab for his arm, the hothead just sent him a glare which clearly said to back off. "I don't want your damn excuses, lady. I just want to know where the hell you took my brothers!"

Jezebeth laughed. She actually laughed. Leo couldn't believe this woman. "Now, now, Raphael. What did I just say? My, and to think you assumed I was just going to reveal my secrets, now where's the fun in that?" She chuckled, "I just do not understand you four, I do not understand your insistence to always be in range of one another," The witch let out a sigh. "Oh well, that will be dealt with. Right now though, enjoy yourselves; you will be left alone for a while yet. Until then, ta!" And the feedback went dead.

Leo stared at where he assumed the speakers were, dumbfounded. "That's it? That's all she's going to give us?" His gut twisted and turned, fear of the unknown raging in his subconscious. "Raph?" He looked over at his younger brother and concern added itself to his list of worrying emotions.

The hotheaded turtle was currently clenching and unclenching his hands again as he glowered at the ground. His breathing was harsh and rapid, and his entire form trembled. His emerald eyes were alight with fire and his lips were curled in a snarl. Leo knew this wasn't anger, no; his brother was enraged.

Raph leaped to his feet and let out a loud and drawn out shout, "When I get my hands on you, you're dead! You hear that, Jezebeth? Dead!" Leo made a quick decision to scoot away from his brother, which turned out to be a wise choice as said turtle began attacking the nearest object; a wall. He punched at it until his knuckles began to bleed and the rock began to chip.

Leo knew it was time to put a stop to this, but he couldn't. Not when the person holding them captive would not allow them to see their baby brothers. Not when the person who took them would not even tell them why. That was why, he decided, that he'd allow Raphael to beat that useless slab of cement senseless. He would no doubt lose steam within the next few minutes, and until then, until the storm passes, Leo would let him be.

Time held no meaning here, and Raph's punches grew slower and slower with each passing second. Eventually, they stopped all together, and the red-banded turtle leaned his forehead against the cool wall, breathing hard.

"Are you done?"

Raph turned to glare at his brother before he placed his shell against the rock and slid down to sit once again. "Yeah… I'm done." He ran his hands down his face as he tried to get control over his breathing again. "Damn, I really hate that woman."

Leo let out a bitter chuckle, "Yeah, I got that. But we can't do anything from here, so let's just hope Sensei knows we're missing; or Donnie already found a way out and is on his way here to rescue our sorry shells." He looked down at his scorched arm and sighed, "I really hope she didn't get them with the same thing she hit me with. That would suck, because this hurts something fierce."

Raph groaned, "Now you're makin' me worry, thanks bro. Argh, seriously, if she touched 'em in any shape or form, I'm rippin' her fairy wings off and stuffin' 'em down her throat."

Beside him, Leo shuddered, "Graphic much? But she wouldn't, would she? The shadows took them down pretty easily, took them awhile to take you out, and it seems like she just ran out of patience with me." He shrugged, "Seems like she needs all of us intact for whatever she has planned."

"Whatever it is," Raphael glared at his bleeding hands. "I hope she makes it fast; I'm gettin' tired of not knowin' anythin'."

* * *

Donatello listened to the steady fall of water, his gaze flicking to and fro. He had spent the last few hours since he woke up analyzing their location. But he came up short. Mikey had woken up a little bit after he did, and was currently scooting around the cell on his carapace, groaning as he went.

Nothing had happened since the two of them left the world of unconsciousness. They were oblivious to everything and anything, including where Raph and Leo were. That was the first thing he noticed; the absence of their elder brothers. There was no sign of the leader and the hothead, no indication that they were even here. That worried Donnie to an extent, which in turn made him all the more determined to find a way out before something bad happened, but again, he found nothing.

" _Donnie!"_

Snapping out of his reverie, he turned towards his wild brother. "Yes, Mikey?"

The turtle in question had his baby blues focused on the genius as he flipped onto his plastron, "You find anything yet, 'cause I'm getting bored." Mikey sat up with his legs crossed and he began to pluck the threads out of his belt, one by one.

Donnie rolled his eyes, "This stuff takes time, Mike, and I have to figure out the formation of the actual cell and what could be lurking on the outside once we get out. Not only that, but I have no way of knowing exactly how to blow a hole through the infrastructure of the physical building without rupturing the foundation, nor do I have a device to do so, and I'd have to find a way to stabilize the supports if that were to happen. Furthermore…"

"Blah, blah, blah! Enough of the sciency babble; more action!"

Donnie deadpanned, "Yeah, right. I'll get right on that." Standing, he walked around the length of the room before he repeated the action multiple times. He stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth and tapped his chin as he paced, forming and tossing different ideas and strategies.

He halted when he made eye contact with his brother.

What made him freeze was the emotion swirling in Mikey's eyes. Gone was the playfulness that was there not more than a few minutes ago, but was replaced by uncertainty, fear, and sadness. "Do you think they're okay?" Mikey's soft voice sounded a lot louder in the silence of the cell.

Don exhaled as he crouched down in front of the distraught turtle, understanding his concern. "Truth be told, little brother, I don't know." Mikey whimpered and his eyes began filling with tears. "No, no, don't start with the waterworks. We'll find them, we'll get out." Donnie wiped the tears from wet cheeks and he kissed his forehead. "We will get out of here, we'll find Leo and Raph, and we'll ride off into the sunset."

A laugh escaped Mikey's mouth, "Yeah… Yeah! And then we can rub it in their faces that we were able to rescue them. Go B Team!" Mikey laughed some more, he laughed and laughed; Donnie guessed it was from the stress of their situation. Then the laughs turned into sobs, and eventually the baby brother was curled up in his big brother's arms, crying into his chest, with Donnie rubbing soothing circles on his carapace.

"Don't worry, Mikey, we'll find them. We'll get out and be together again…"

Mikey sniffled and held on tighter.

"I promise."

 **TBC**

 _Here ya go! Leave a review, send me a message, bake me a cake; I don't care! Just stick with me through this and I see a beautiful friendship blossoming!_

 _Also, I might have the next chapter in Splinter's P.O.V? Maybe? I dunno, I haven't decided yet. Oh well._

 _It's late... Anndd..._

 _I'll be leaving now._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 _Hey all! I am so sorry I didn't get this out sooner, I thought I'd have a lot more free time this summer, but hey, what're ya gonna do? Thank you to all of you who reviewed! It's very much appreciated._

 _Anywhoozies, I went along with the Splinter POV thing I mentioned in the last chapter, but I added April and Casey. This chapter will switch between POVs._

 _Thanks again to the amazing_ _ **EmilyGrace18**_ _for beta reading (I say this every chapter and I will continue saying it, go check out her stories!)_

 **Disclaimer: Frankly, I'm too lazy to get sued.**

 _On with the show!_

* * *

The quiet of the night was all the old rat could hear beyond the sounds of New York's underground. The lair was too quiet without the presence of his sons, and he knew something had gone wrong during their patrol, for they had yet to return. Splinter thought back to a few hours ago, when he first noticed the change in atmosphere.

He was sitting in the dojo, deep within meditation when colors of his son's spirits and the color of evil splashed through his mind. Then one by one, his son's lights began to fade, before his eldest winked out with a flash of blazing blue pain. His first instinct was to leap to his feet and find out what had happened to his sons, but he realized the dangers of setting out without a plan.

And so, he waited. He waited for something new to occur, anything that could lead him to his boys. An hour passed… Then two… And on the third hour, Splinter had finally given up on waiting and he reached for the phone, quickly dialing the memorized number.

"Hello?" A groggy, sleep-filled voice answered him on the third ring.

He let out a sigh of relief, "April, I am sorry for calling so late in the night, but this is urgent."

April was alert in seconds. "Master Splinter? What is it? What's wrong?" She didn't need to wait long before Splinter began retelling the events of earlier. A sense of dread pooled in her stomach as she heard the news. "No, I haven't seen them since the other night when the guys came over for pizza." She ran a hand through her red hair as she paced the length of her apartment. "Master Splinter, are you sure they're not just tracking down the nearest pizza guy? They've done that before…" April knew it was a sorry excuse for an answer, but it was the best she could come up with at five o'clock in the morning.

Splinter didn't miss a beat in replying. "If they had they would have called. Leonardo would never stay out this late without informing me, no matter what Raphael or Michelangelo say. I fear that they have run into danger during their patrol." While on the phone, he subconsciously began wringing his hands together, something the rat master would do in times of stress. "I cannot reach any of them through meditation, either."

He heard a slight gasp from the other end as April quickly tried to process the new information. "Just sit tight, Master Splinter. I'll get Casey and we'll be down there as soon as we can." After a quick 'good-bye', she hung up the phone with a 'click'; leaving Splinter in the uneasy quiet of the lair.

And again, he waited.

* * *

Alarm bells were blaring within April's head. After her brief, but worrying phone call with the rat master, she threw on jeans and a T-shirt before bolting out the door. She herself had tried contacting any of the brothers, but to no prevail. Deciding to try one last time before calling Casey, she punched in Leo's number.

"Come on, come on, Leo! Pick up!"

Her wishes were answered on the fifth ring. "Leo! Thank god, Master Splinter and I have been worried sick. Why haven't you guys ans-" A deep, raspy voice cut her off.

" _I am terribly sorry, but the one you refer to as 'Leo', is unavailable right now. I can take a message, if you'd like?"_

April's blood ran cold. She's never heard this person before. "Who is this? What have you done with my brothers? Why do you have Leo's phone?!" She heard a chuckle on the other end, the other seemingly trying not to laugh too hard, as if this was all just a joke.

" _I am sorry, but I cannot answer that question right now. Again, would you like me to take a message?"_

Red-hot anger filled her and her fist clenched at her side. "I have a better idea. Why don't you give the phone back to who it belongs to, scum bag." The creep on the other end had yet to her outburst, and she thought for a moment that the stranger had hung up.

" _Now why would I do that? That would ruin the fun. Mistress has specific instructions to not let our subjects have any contact with the outside world; it could lead to rescue and we can't have that, now can we? I do hope you find your brothers, but I have to go. The Professor and the Mistress have something planned for our charge. But if you'd like to leave that message now?"_

April was at a loss for words as her panic settled in again. "I- um… No. However," She took a deep breath and ran her hand through her hair again. "You can tell whoever took them that we will find them, and we will take them back. Do you understand me?" The stranger paused before replying.

" _Silly girl, do not worry. The ones you are referring to are unharmed and will be returned to their dwellings momentarily. The Professor and the Mistress only have a few questions to ask, then the game will begin, and then they will be returned to you. I hope you have a pleasant day and you find your brothers. Good day to you."_

And the stranger ended the call, leaving the girl frozen on the sidewalk, phone slipping out of her lax fingers.

Regaining her composure, she shook out her tensed muscles. "Okay, April a stranger just answered the phone of one the most important people in your life; what are you going to do?" She usually did this when she was in the process of panicking, developed the coping mechanism as a kid when her mother passed. "You are going to call Casey, yeah, and drag his butt down to the sewers to meet up with Master Splinter. Then you're all going to come up with a plan to save the turtles, and everything will be back to normal- well. As normal as your life can get." Steeling herself for the challenge ahead, April picked her phone back up and dialed Casey's number.

" _Hello?"_ April bounced on her toes for a moment when the boy's voice sounded on the phone. "Casey! You've got to meet me on the corner 5th and Broadway, the guys need our help."

" _Ha! Just kidding, I can't get to the phone right now. You know what to do."_

April clenched her fists at her sides when the infamous _'beeep'_ rang into her ear. "You listen here, Jones. Get your butt out of bed and meet me on the corner of 5th and Broadway. The guys are in trouble and Master Splinter needs our help. I'll fill you in on the way there." She paused, "And you better show up!" She hung up and put her phone back in her bag as a chill ran down her spine.

"He better be there."

With that said, she broke into a sprint, and street after street, that sinking feeling returned to her gut. The turtles were always careful whenever they went on patrol, albeit quite loud. But they always sobered up if they were ever attacked. They couldn't get abducted that easily, and wouldn't without a fight; unless… unless it was an ambush, and whoever initiated it played dirty.

"That's gotta be it!" April spoke aloud as her thoughts ran wild over the topic. "There's no explanation other than an ambush, none of them would be taken if there was another reason." The more she thought of it, the more reasonable it sounded in her head. "I have got to talk to Master Splinter about this." As her mild came to a slower pace, she realized that she had ran passed the alley where she was supposed to meet Casey. She halted her steps and, with a sheepish look and the hope he hadn't arrived yet, turned around.

And sure enough, the one and only Casey Jones stood leaning against the hardware building with his arms crossed over his chest and a smug smirk on his face. "Somethin' on your mind, April?"

She gave him a deadpan stare, "Now is not the time Jones. I can tell you got my message, or else you wouldn't be here, so let's go. Master Splinter is waiting."

April turned down the alley and automatically crouched down to lift the manhole cover and slide it out of the way. Without even bothering to acknowledge Casey as he shrugged and followed her with confusion written across his features, the red-head dropped down into the dark depths of the sewers.

"So… What exactly are we doing? Why do the guys need our help?"

April ran a hand down her face and she sighed, "All right, around four this morning, Master Splinter called me. He said that the guys had missed curfew and hadn't called to tell him they were going to be late. He thinks they've been kidnapped." She paused and let that sink in.

"Uh-huh… As if!" Casey rejected their hypothesis immediately. "Raph would never let that happen! I'd be surprised if the 'all-powerful' Leo would allow anyone to snatch 'em either." He chuckled, shaking his head.

April stared at him for a moment before taking out her cell phone and finding the conversation she had had with the stranger; which, of course, she recorded. "Listen to this, bonehead." And he did. And when he did, he almost dropped her phone when he came to a stop along the sewer wall, but she caught it before it could fall into the sewage.

"Ah shit,"

One moment the vigilante was standing stock-still, and the next he was bolting down the tunnels, April hot on his heels.

* * *

The two humans made it to the lair in record time. They arrived to find Splinter waiting at the entrance, seeming to have waited for their arrival.

"Ms. April, Mr. Jones, I am grateful for your help tonight." One could easily detect the anxiousness and fear in the old rat's voice, with a lot of relief mixed in.

"It's no problem, Master Splinter, really. We would and will do anything to help you find your sons." April offered him a small smile and grasped his hands in hers. "We'll find them." She glared at Casey when he said nothing and elbowed him in the ribs, releasing Splinter's hands.

"Uh- … Yeah! And we'll bust the heads of whoever took them in the first place!"

Despite the awkward ramblings, Splinter nodded his head in gratitude. He was just about to ask April whether or not she had found anything when she let out a gasp and began digging through her bag.

"Oh! Master Splinter, after you ended the call with me, I tried to see if I could contact Leo," She tried to ignore the hopeful look in his eyes as she held up the phone. "I finally got through to someone… But it wasn't him, I'm afraid. I don't know who it was that picked up the phone, but he said something about ruining the fun and having plans for their… subjects, I guess." Again, she ignored Splinters expression as his ears drooped. "If you want to listen to it, I have it recorded in my phone."

"That is quite resourceful of you, Ms. April, but perhaps another time. I do, however, wonder if Donatello placed a tracking device within your cellular phone as well?" April looked down to her phone again, as if just staring at it would answer his question.

"I'm not entirely sure," She began slowly. "But I can check to see in Donnie's lab. Maybe even try to get the tracking systems in the guys' phones working. I don't doubt that they were taken, but I _do_ doubt that they were disabled," April went on, her gaze once again meeting Splinters. "If I can find a way to activate them, then we could find out where the turtles were taken."

Before Splinter could reply, Casey's boisterous voice rang through the lair. "So whattya waitin' for? An invitation? For the bad guys to call us up and invite us over? I say just go in there, find out where they are, and kick somebody's butt all the way from here to Jersey after we save the guys' shells!"

He could practically feel the burn from Aprils glare, and his smirk quickly faded. "It's not that simple, I'd have to bypass any security measures Donnie implemented to keep enemies out of his software because, in case you forgot, he changes his passwords every month _and_ rewrites the coding."

Casey sweat dropped, scratching the back of his neck. "Heh, yeah… I totally gotchya, April."

She just rolled her eyes and motioned for Splinter to accompany her to Donnie's lab, with Casey following behind like a lost puppy.

"Okay, so I know that Donnie did implant a tracking device within my phone," April actually discovered a lot of tech hidden within the database of her phone; and with only a few keystrokes! "What he didn't do, however, was install the actual system. Even so, he should have a program on his computer that should allow me to find out where Donnie and the rest of them are."

Splinter looked confused, "So you are able to access Donatello's device?"

The weight that simple question held was obvious and heavy. "Well, no, I can get into his computer, but it will take some time for me to actually find the program; considering Donnie didn't really need it because of the systems in their phones." Cracking her knuckles, she swiveled back to face the monitor and, after a moment of rapid typing, turned back around to face the two males, a small smile dawning on her features.

"Have you found something, Ms. April?"

"Yeah, Ape, why the smile?"

April clasped her hands in her lap. "Though I wasn't able to find their exact location, I was able to find out where they last were. Like the building where they were… um… Taken." She let out a nervous chuckle and turned back to the monitor, her fingers flying over the keys once again. "I found a way into Donnie's system and all but one phone has been deactivated, although I am aware that I did get through to Leo's phone, I think they shut his off after I called. And considering where the active phone is located, I highly doubt it's where they're being held. It's in plain sight." She tapped her chin, mumbling, "I'm surprised no one noticed the inevitable fight…"

The more April thought about it, the more it baffled her. Master Splinter had said that he had seen the strange vision around three o'clock, and a few commuters who are trying awfully hard to provide for their families would be awake then and should have at least heard the fight. The weather was clear this night, not a single cloud obscured the moonlight, nor had a single breeze whistled through the streets. Something had to have happened that they're not getting at, yet.

"Alright, I've got the address, 1765 Bleaker Street." She spun back around to face Splinter and Casey. The vigilante seemed to be staring off into space before he snapped back to reality with a loud "Hey!" April raised a single brow, sending a confused look his way.

Casey turned his gaze to April, "Ain't that that abandoned factory? Y'know, the one that was condemned because workers kept disappearing, and then reappearing; traumatized by some freaky shadow voodoo?"

April's eyes widened, "Yeah… Yeah! I heard about that. Most of the workers didn't remember what happened, so they just brushed it off as a freak accident. That is until four employees came out of a secluded area in a daze. When questioned, investigators shut down the whole operation." She let out a breath of air, her cheeks puffing out. "It's been vacant ever since." It was then that she slapped herself in the forehead, causing Casey to jump. "Of course! No wonder there weren't any people around, no one has even gone close to that building for years!"

That caused Casey to grin and crack his knuckles, "So, no witnesses? No problem. No people at all, which means no security detail. Alright, I'm down with that. When do we leave?"

Splinter decided it was time to step in, as he had placed a hand on the exuberant male's shoulder. "Now, now, Mr. Jones. We cannot just go to the surface without a plan, and not to mention the fact that it is now approaching dawn."

April sighed, running her hand through her hair. "With all due respect, Master Splinter, wouldn't it be better if just Casey and I went topside to check it out _while_ it's light out. We could do a simple recon mission; see if we can find anything from the guys' kidnapping. To see if we can gather any evidence. No violence, just a simple sample mission." Hopeful blue eyes met worried brown eyes. April knew she was asking a lot, but she figured this was the only way to find anything out.

"Very well, you may go." April's face split into a small grin and Casey whooped. "However, I expect both of you to return by dusk. No later.

"Hai, Sensei."

"Investigate the area, gather whatever you should need, and return here."

Hai, Sensei."

"Should anything go awry, you will call me immediately."

"Hai, Sensei."

Both teenagers bowed lowly; even though Casey wasn't even his student, he did it out of respect. With their mission fresh in their minds, they said goodbye to the Ninjitsu Master, and bolted out the lair door and out into the sewers.

The teenagers ran through the tunnels until they reached the nearest manhole cover. Climbing up the ladder, Casey slid the cover away with ease and scrambled out, though he checked to make sure there weren't any passerby's. After helping April up and out, he stood there with his hands on his hips. "Now what?"

Glancing around, April bit her lip and walked out onto the street. "Looks like we're a few blocks away from Bleaker Street, easy 20 minute walk from here." With that said, she started down the sidewalk with Casey staring after her.

Noticing that he wasn't following she looked back at him. "Are you going to follow or just stand there like an idiot?"

Casey blinked, "Oh, um, I just figured that going by rooftop would be easier…"

April rolled her eyes and walked back, grabbing his wrist and starting forwards. "Probably, but walking there is less suspicious than two teenagers roof-hopping. For now, I think this is our best bet." Nodding to herself she dragged the boy along.

It took longer than expected, but eventually they ended up where they needed to be. "So this is the place?" Casey asked as they stared up at the three-story brick building.

"Seems like it," April replied, looking down at her phone. "It's what the website says. Come on, let's head up."

Cracking his knuckles again, Casey smirked. "Sounds like a plan." Rounding the corner he found the fire escape that led up to the rooftop. The place where his best friends were turtle-knapped. With a scowl firmly replacing his smirk, he climbed, rung by rung with April close behind.

They reached the roof in record time, but what greeted them made their blood freeze.

Splotches of black and red puddles littered the asphalt; along with splatters of tinted red, the tell-tale sign of mutated blood. There were obvious signs of a struggle.

April and Casey walked across the roof top, each in different directions. Casey felt his throat clench as he came across one of Michelangelo's Nunchucks, the chain fractured in the center. Surrounding the broken weapon was small splatters of blood, and judging by the splinters of wood, Donatello had fought by his side. Casey was just about to investigate the other end of the roof when a muffled cry escaped the red-headed girl half-way across the roof.

He whipped around and watched as April fell to her knees, clutching something to her chest as she rocked herself back and forth.

"April…?" He began slowly as he made his way over.

She ignored him and continued to rock, soft, strangled sobs erupting from her throat every so often. When Casey finally had a view of what exactly was in front of her, he felt as if he were going to explode with rage.

Sitting in the middle of a scorched patch asphalt, was the shattered remains of Leonardo's precious Katanas, accompanied by the scent of burnt flesh and blood.

And there, clasped in April's trembling hands, was Leo's blue bandana. Shredded, bloodied, and burnt.

 **TBC**

 _So there you have it, folks! Though this took longer than expected, I like how this chapter turned out, even if it was a bit slow._

 _Leave a review, if you please, they fuel my flames!_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 _Y'know what happens when you're a couple thousand miles away from your laptop with half a chapter already written? Late updates. That's what._

 _I re-wrote the ending for this chapter like seven times before my brain spewed this all over the screen. I'm quite fond of it, if I do say so myself. I really hope you guys are too!_

 _Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed thus far. Thanks for sticking around through long updates and long-ish chapters. There's more to come, even though I want to try and make this story somewhat short._

 _I think this is my longest chapter yet... Hm._

 _Without further ado- ONWARD!_

* * *

Leonardo watched Raph as he slept. After his little tantrum, the hothead had fallen into an uneasy slumber despite their predicament.

Leo, however, did not. He remained awake and alert, tensing at even the slightest sound; he even expected Jezebeth to turn on the speakers again, but she didn't. He was growing restless and anxious, wondering what had become of his youngest brothers, wondering what would become of him and Raph.

Groaning, Leo ran his hand down his face. He was hot, hungry, and tired; tired of not knowing anything, tired of not being able to do _anything_. He felt useless. Yes, there's the word he was looking for.

He let out a soft grunt as he stood, using the wall as leverage. Earlier, he didn't have the chance to actually examine their cell; considering the fact that he was more focused on trying to reign in his panic and anger. Now seemed to be the perfect time to do so.

Scanning the dull walls, he noted that the only source of light was from that small window he spotted amidst his panic. _"Great…"_ He thought bitterly. _"Just another bump in the road to drag ourselves over."_ With an eye roll, he continued his inspection, but nothing really stood out to him; just grey walls and grey floors. Not even a door.

That perplexed him.

Leo was about to start pressing against the walls, to see if there was a button or any slight disfigurations in the wall, not understanding how the two of them could have ended up in here without a door, when a slight ripple-like portal appearing along the far wall caught the blue-banded turtle's attention, causing him to tilt his head.

Staggering on unsteady legs, Leo moved himself to stand in front of his slumbering brother, wanting to keep whatever that wavelet was, away from Raph. Nothing happened for a few moments, and Leo began to wonder if he was just going crazy.

Then all of a sudden, a loud **_boom_** erupted from the structure, startling both of the turtles.

"What the shell was that?!" Raph grumbled as he scrambled to his feet, coming up to stand beside his older brother. Though he was disgruntled that his nap was interrupted, he was more than alert.

The hot head's presence comforted Leo in an odd way, and he was glad that he wasn't alone. "I'm not sure…" He began, "But knowing our luck, it can't be anything good."

Raph snorted, "I dunno, Leo," He grinned as he readied to defend. "Maybe the good ol' Turtle Luck will give us a break for once."

Returning the grin, Leo fell into a similar stance. "I'd like to hope so, Raph." It was then that he realized, smirk falling, that he could only fight with one arm; the other being barbequed, would leave it out of commission and leave him with one working, not barbequed arm. He sighed, gritting his teeth. "This is going to be fun." Sarcasm dripped from each syllable.

"Ah, c'mon Leo, it ain't gonna be that bad." If possible, Raph's smirk grew, but Leo could see the worry hidden in those green depths of his. "Hey, maybe they're coming to take us to see Mike and Don?" He suggested.

"You would like to think so, wouldn't you?"

Banter stalling, the two brothers turned startled gazes to the speaker, but instead were met with quite the surprise.

A man dressed in a lab coat and black gloves stepped from the black abyss, something sticking to him like tar before whipping back. He looked to be in his late-twenties, his dark brown hair slicked back, and his blue eyes were piercing and calculating behind wire rimmed glasses. Stubble dotted his chin, and his mouth was pressed into a thin line as he advanced. The man's pristine black boots squeaked as he walked and his stark-white coat swayed in his motions.

Slowing to a stop a few feet away, he clasped his hands in front of him. He stood utterly still and utterly silent.

Questions began flying through Leo's already muddled-up brain.

 _"Who is this guy?"_

 _"Is he some sort of scientist?"_

 _"A mad doctor?"_

 _"Someone who wants to cut us open and play peek-a-boo with our insides?"_

One after the other, different scenarios were formed before they were replaced with another. And before anymore bizarro settings could be imagined, Leo snapped back to reality when the man cleared his throat.

"Hello, Terrapins." His voice was clipped, clear, and crisp, and it held a tone of authority. Judging by the accent, he wasn't from America; Leo could only guess the man originated from somewhere in Europe. Jezebeth had some strange recruits.

"Now, you may be wondering who I am. Simple. I am known here as Professor Seagrain, but you may call me Ross."

Leo's eyes widened and he felt Raph stiffen beside him. _"A professor?! This dude can't be any older than twenty-six, and he's working for a demented witch lady, for that matter!"_

"And before you ask," Seagrain continued. "Yes, I do in fact work with Mistress Jezebeth, and no, I will not assist you in whatever plan of escape you have forming in those small, reptilian brains of yours."

Seagrain, seemingly done with introductions, resumed in his walk towards the weaponless turtles. Leo, protective instincts flaring, clenched his fists and shifted ever-so-slightly so that he was between the strange man and his brother.

"Aw," Seagrain cooed, drawing out the single syllable. "You assume that you, an injured and unarmed Terrapin, could even stand against me? When I have a whole system of weapons and warriors at my beck and call? Ha!" He laughed a deranged laugh before turning serious again. "It would be quite amusing to see you try, turtle… quite amusing indeed."

Leo flicked his gaze away from the glower burning into him and over to Raph, who stood there growling, his eyes were narrowed dangerously as he glared at the 'Professor'

Though he was confused about many things at the moment, Leo knew what Raph was about to do. He had seen his brother do it multiple times. He can name the signs that usually lead to this. Heavy breathing, straining muscles, clenched and trembling fists, and the flames of rage flickering in the hot head's eyes.

Raph was about ten seconds from attacking the man who had magically appeared inside their box. Another guttural growl made its way up Raph's throat.

Make that three seconds.

Before Leo even had the chance to block Raph off completely from Seagrain, his brother was already advancing at immeasurable speed.

"Raph, Wait-!" His plea fell on deaf ears as Raphael pounced.

Time seemed to slow down as the red-clad turtle attacked, arm pulled back and fist clenched as he prepared to land a killer blow.

The punch never hit its target; Raph's fist struck thin air and the 'Professor' disappeared from sight and materialized directly behind him.

"Tsk, tsk," Seagrain shook his head as he stared down at Raph, who seemed to be frozen in place. "For a ninja, you aren't very agile in your motions. I was expecting more." And with that, he shoved Raph's prone form and allowed his brother to pitch forwards and tumble into the rippling portal.

Leo's eyes widened as he realized what was going on. That mad man was taking his brother away! The eldest acted quickly, throwing caution to the wind.

"What? Hey- wait!" He tried to run towards the man, who was already stepping through after his fallen brother, but he stumbled and fell to his knees; his cerulean eyes were wide with fear and anger as Seagrain laughed in his face, as if this was the most hilarious thing he had ever seen before. "Where are you taking him?!"

"Don't worry, Leonardo, your brother will be well taken care of. In the meantime," He smirked, and continued with a chuckle. "Why don't you enjoy yourself? The quiet can do _wonders_ for the mind!"

Leo growled, but watched the scene carry out before him, his muscles burning in protest as he struggled to make it in time before the portal closed, taking Raph with it.

But alas, he stopped short when the swirling depths that held his brother whistled shut, carrying along the laughter of the man that had taken away his only stability at the moment.

Slowly, he laid his fingers along the grooves of the once-alive wall, trying to will the passageway open again. Sadly, no such thing happened, and Leonardo was left alone in the dark and cold cell.

A laugh echoed through the walls, bringing with it that deranged, and barely audible voice.

 ** _"Are you having fun yet?"_**

Jerking upright, Leo whipped his head around, looking for the source. Nothing. Not even a flicker of movement joined him in his dank cell. He was alone, and he didn't like it. At all. He felt isolated, caged.

Letting out another very Raph-like growl, he threw his hands up in the air. "Great! Just great, so you happen to get thrown into a cell and then you manage to lose your brother; who's getting dragged off God knows where as you speak. Only you, Leonardo, only you." He stopped himself, realizing that he sounded insane. "Ah! And now you're talking to yourself… wonderful. Probably going nuts," A sigh escaped his lips as he ran a hand over his face, contemplating his next move.

 ** _"This is quite amusing, I must say."_** Another voice echoed through the walls. Different, but still held that same authoritative and dark voice.

"Okay," Leo thought. "Either I'm actually going insane in such a short amount of time, or I'm not alone." Picking the latter, he looked up from his hands to come face to face with the pale features of his captor. Ruby reds bore into his very soul, seemingly probing him for the answers of unasked questions. "Yep. Not alone." He blinked wary eyes that refused to break contact with the witch's, and he was beginning to wonder if she had put him in some sort of trance. However, the thought was quickly dismissed when the turtle found that he still had his free will.

It was then that Jezebeth decided to open her mouth. "Hello again, Leonardo," Her voice was as crisp and smug as ever. "Now, I take it you must be wondering where I have had your brother taken?" She smirked at his tentative nod. "Well, don't you worry one bit. This will only take a few, oh I don't know, hours; give or take."

Leo narrowed his eyes, "Hours? What god-forsaken plan do you have in mind that could last hours?" He shook his head, "Wait, never mind. Whatever is, I don't want any part of it. Just give me my brothers back."

It was Jezebeth's turn to be defiant, "You know I cannot possibly do that until we are all finished up here. The two of us will be holed up in here while you answer a few questions that I have. I suggest you will answer truthfully," She paused with a wicked glint in her eyes. "The consequences will be most dire." The blue sparks that flashed from her fingertips had Leo scrambling backwards until his shell hit the wall. "I take it we won't be having any trouble with you cooperating, hm?" She frowned when the turtle remained silent.

Clearing her throat, the ruler of the _Itzcoliuhqui_ moved to stand in the center of cell, directly in front of the young leader, her features now expressionless. "Your name is Hamato Leonardo and you were once a regular turtle. You were mutated by a substance known as "Mutagen", but more formally called the ooze; your rat father, Splinter, being once a master and a man, took you in and called you his son. Trained you in the art of Ninjutsu and named you leader and heir to the Hamato clan."

As she spoke, Leo grew more and more confused as to what she was trying to accomplish by recalling his origin. Then, before he could question her, she finally seemed satisfied and began the questions.

"Though you argue often enough with your brothers, would you consider yourselves to be a close-knit family?" She asked, her tone clipped.

Stumbling over his words, he did his best to answer without revealing much. "I- uh. Yeah, I guess you could say that we're pretty close, but I don't see how that's relevant."

Jezebeth scoffed, "Dear sweet Leonardo," Her wry smile turned cold. "Everything that occurs here tonight is more than relevant. Whatever I say could determine you and your brothers' fate, so I suggest you answer the questions without any of your own." Crossing her arms over her chest she gave the teenager a cold, hard stare that sent shivers down his spine. He nodded once.

"Would you do anything to protect your family?"

Leo nodded.

"Even if it meant sacrificing your own life?"

He swallowed hard, "Of course, I couldn't live without my brothers."

"And what of your Sensei?"

"The same goes for Splinter."

And on it went; she'd ask a question and he'd answer as truthfully as he could without giving too much away. As time dragged on, the questions began getting more and more personal, causing Leo to squirm uncomfortably beneath her gaze. This, of course, didn't go unnoticed by the demon; she was getting close to whatever she wanted and she knew it too."

To the boy, it felt as though they were playing a one-sided game of Twenty Questions. A game he wasn't fond of even when he played with his brothers.

"Have you always lived in the sewers?" Was the next question.

"Yes, not once did we ever have reason to leave." Was the answer.

Jezebeth seemed to be getting impatient. It was evident in her expression and the way she fidgeted every now and then. She decided it was time to get right to the point.

"Have you ever wondered if everything you've been told and taught, everything you've lived to be a lie? That your quaint little life has been nothing but a side plot in the story of another?" The turtle before her stiffened just a bit, causing her to smirk to stretch.

"What?" Leo tilted his head, trying to ignore the nagging feeling in the back of his brain. "Why would I need to? I mean, why would any of us need to think that? Master Splinter would never tell us something that wasn't true." Though he knew it to be true, he couldn't help but question the times his father had dodged or skirted around certain things his sons had said or done.

"Leonardo," The demon shook her head, chuckling. "As I have said before, during our first encounter, your whole life has been a lie. Let me explain," She held up a single figure to silence the protests on his tongue. "When you were nothing more than a hatchling you and your kin were experiments of an alien race called the Saunters. They resided on a planet across the galaxy; simply called Vertigo. They worked with beings sentient and inanimate; their purpose was to determine whether or not they could create life using the two. They called it Project Rexcon." Jezebeth was watching her prisoner, gauging his reaction,

"However, they were not called the Saunters for no reason. These beings enjoyed exploring the galaxy in search of new things to create and build. It was not until they were nearing a large planet known as Tatura, that things took a turn. Many bad life forms chose to live on that desolate planet, as there were no laws or rules displayed and they could get away with whatever they please. Hamato Yoshi, your master, and his clan resided there. He was good friends with the blacksmith, a man who wielded many weapons, and a man who knew how to fight. Even so, Splinter's father was a master in Ninjutsu, that much is true; he trained his son in much of the same arts. The reason being? So that they could finally vanquish the Hamato clan's long-since hated enemy," By this point, Leonardo's eyes were the size of saucers, his pupil all but pin-pricks lost in pools of ice.

"Oroku Saki. Criminal overlord that had sworn vengeance on your master's clan after they had stolen much of his merchandise. He was not a happy man; Saki's rage grew with every passing year, and only blossomed when Yoshi won the heart of Saki's love." Jezebeth scowled, her lip curling in a snarl. "Saki laid low for several years and Yoshi and his love were soon married with a child. The overlord chose then to strike, murdering Yoshi's wife and daughter, but not before going after his masters. Yoshi was left alone."

Leo did not like where this was going. Nothing good could come from this; he didn't care if his life had been nothing more than an illusion. He wanted her to stop.

"While standing atop a very high building, he spotted the Saunters ship. The ship that was carrying you and your brothers. No one knows how, but somehow, Yoshi managed to sneak onto the ship and disguise himself as one of the crew members. He worked with the scientists experimenting on you and your brothers, Leonardo. Because of what had happened while on Tatura Splinter not only took on a new name, but he had sworn vengeance on Oroku Saki. Deeming the man unworthy of life, he began forming a plan to rid the world of this evil. His plan involved you four."

"Once the experiments were complete, Splinter took you, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo from your sleeping chambers and he fled. The alarms flared a mantra and flashed a bright red. In his escape, the rat had accidentally dropped the young turtle tot in blue, causing the boy to tumble and fall into one of the ship's Service Boxes; these boxes are filled with dangerous tools and sharp items alike, and unfortunately the toddler wasn't removed in time before something managed to pierce his flesh. The tool went completely through his hand, leaving a gaping and bloodied hole. He was lucky that no tendons or nerves were severed."

Leonardo flicked his gaze down to stare at the nickel-sized scar that adorned his hand. He had no memory of how it came to be there, but at the time his father had told him that he had wandered off into the sewer tunnels and was later found a bruised, bloody, and tearful mess. And he believed every word of it. A lump formed in his throat and his eyes grew wide, having realized that he could hardly remember much of his early life. Feeling constricted, he breathed a single word.

"Stop…"

The witch, having no patience retained, ignored him.

"Splinter managed to gain access to an escape pod, which he was able to get fully operational in a mere five minutes. All while you and you brothers slept soundly in the back of the small ship, unaware that your lives were about to drastically change."

"Stop."

Again, his plea was cast aside.

"The rat took refuge on planet Earth. He was well aware of the fact that he was not like the natives there, and wasted no time in getting underground."

"Stop!"

No response but the horrid reveal that his whole life was just an act.

"From then on, he took you in as his sons and trained you as ninjas. Claiming the training to be for self-defense, not once did he mention his enemy's name. That is, until you finally had your first run-in with Saki, who had followed the last descendant of the Hamato clan, and had taken on the name the Shredder. Nor did he tell you that he did not care for you. That the only reason he treats you as his own is because he plans to get you killed while you do his dirty work-"

Having heard enough, Leo's anger and hurt consuming him. "I said _STOP!_ " The young ninja leapt to his feet and lunged at the woman responsible for this. "I don't want to hear your lies!"

Jezebeth easily dodged the sloppy attack, a smirk returning to her face. "Oh, but everything you have heard tonight has been the truth," Another dodge. "Nothing but the truth," A single strike that sent him skidding. "The _only_ truth." She sent Leo flying to the opposite wall in one fell swoop. "I have no reason to lie to you, Leonardo, and I truly to not wish to hurt you, but you continue to test my hand. I shall see you on the morrow, dear boy." With a swish of her cloak, she turned to leave the poor turtle in a messy heap on the concrete.

"I do hope you come to senses," She said over her shoulder. "Life will be so much easier for the both of us." Without another word, the pale woman disappeared through the portal that had allowed her entrance.

Leonardo, now alone, whimpered pitifully as he curled in on himself. He was tired, he was still hungry, and now he was hurting even more than before. He just wanted to forget everything that had happened in the past two days, he wanted to go home and laze around the pit with his brothers while they watched some cheesy movie Mikey had picked out. He would be safe and warm then, not cold and hurt and alone.

Yes, he would rather be in the sewers living a lie than here, facing the cold hard truth as it was painfully revealed from the dark depths of the past.

 **TBC.**

* * *

 _There you have it folks! Another chapter up a month late, oops. Let's hope I can get the next chapter out sooner rather than later. I probably just jinxed myself._

 _Leave a review!_

 _Criticize me!_

 _Love me!_

 _Bake me that cake I asked for!_

 _LATER-_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Rewrite

 _I got it done before the one month mark. Accomplishment. Though this is a lot shorter than I'd like it to be, I wanted to get it out before the school year started in a few days.(I failed)_

 _This chapter, we get to see what the professor thinks about all of this. Should be interesting._

 _A big thanks to all of you who read, reviewed, and favorited this little gem. Your kind words are what motivate me to keep writing._

 _And on that note, ONWARD-_

* * *

Raphael was not a happy turtle. In fact, he was beyond pissed, and rightfully so. No one would enjoy being thrown into a random portal after blowing up in front of the enemy; again. Plus, when the unwilling turtle emerged from the swirling black abyss, he smashed his face into the concrete on the other side, and then was forced to his feet by the rim of his shell. Which brings him to his most recent predicament; positioned in the center of five black-clad goons with the professor at the lead, heading to god knows where. Though the pissed off turtle had no intention of finding out, he had no way of getting out of the restraints. He should know. He tried already.

Letting out a rumbling growl, he pulled his lips into a snarl. "Are you freaks gonna tell me where we're goin', or are ya just gonna carry on with that creepy silence of yours?" The guard to his right whose red eyes were currently dead ahead snapped his gaze up to Raph's.

"Freaks, eh?" The rasp sounding from the demon sent a chill down Raph's spine. "I'd say we look pretty normal compared to the likes of you, turtle." Dark chuckles echoed through the halls at the turtle's obvious discomfort. "But don't you worry, you'll find out soon enough, little reptile."

Raph lunged at the laughing demon but was pulled backwards by the four other guards he had somehow forgotten about. Even so, he continued his struggles; snapping his jaws and straining against the chains and ties. "I'll show you little, you devilish freak of nature! When I get outta these thi-"

"But oh contraire, young warrior," Seagrain halted and turned to face the struggling turtle. "It is not a matter of when, but a matter of if." He chuckled as he leaned down to come face to face with Raph, grasping the turtle's chin to force Raph to look him in the eye. "However, we will be the ones to release you; not the other way around. You will be released but not until I say so. Until then, you will comply with our orders and you will remain silent." With that, he released the red-banded turtle's chin with a jerk of his wrist and straightened to his full height. "Now that that is sorted out, onward."

And off they went, travelling down the dark tunnel. It wasn't until about ten minutes later that the seven of them, Raph and the goons and Seagrain, came to a stop in front of a… wall? Raph tilted his head, a scowl firmly in place. "If this is what you flukes wanted to show me, I gotta say that I'm not impressed."

Turning to glare at the turtle, Seagrain placed his hand on the wall without a word. What happened next both confused and, he'd never admit it out loud, frightened the hothead.

The same swirling portal from back at his cell with Leo began to take form, and Raph was more than a little hesitant to find out what exactly lay on the other side. "Alright then," He began gruffly. "Big bad portal thing, big whoop." It didn't matter that blue, glaring eyes were searing into his skull, sarcastic remarks were usually his go-to weapon when defenseless.

With the portal remaining stable as it formed, the professor once again turned to face the snappy turtle, and promptly back-handed him across the face. Raph's head jerked to the side as the force of the slap left him speechless for a moment. When he came back to himself, his anger was through the roof. But before he could properly explode he was, once again, shoved through the wall; Seagrain stepping through soon after.

"Alright, that's it!" Leaping to his feet, not even bothering to take in his surroundings, Raph whirled around to come face to face with Professor Seagrain. "I have had it up to here with being shoved through freaky portals today, and you can sure as shell bet that you are long overdue for a beat down, mister!" With that, he lunged.

The professor merely sidestepped him and held up a hand to stall the enraged terrapin. "Youngling, if you will turn around for a moment?" He was ignored as Raph continued to stare at him, huffing with barely contained anger. "Surely you can sense the other two souls present?"

Surprisingly, he could. Raph stiffened where he stood as the presence of said two other souls quickly made itself known. With having little to no knowledge of whether or not they were friend or foe, Raph slowly turned to face them, only to be caught completely off-guard by what met him, causing him to stumble onto his shell.

Staring back at the downed turtle, were none other than his missing little brothers.

* * *

(Ross Seagrain's P.O.V)

Ross watched as the red-banded turtle realized that his younger brothers were now right in front of him. He watched as Donatello remained stock-still, just staring at his immediate elder brother. He watched as Michelangelo quickly shook off any remaining shock as a grin split his face.

"Raphie!" The youngest shouted as he dove towards his older brother, who accepted him with open arms. "I missed you! Are you okay? Is Leo okay? They didn't hurt you did they?"

He heard Raphael chuckle as he rubbed his baby brother's head affectionately. "I missed you too, little brother," the elder began, and Seagrain heard his tone dip a tad. "I'm fine, Leo could be better, and no, they didn't hurt me. Though the same can't be said for Leo…" That last part was said under his breath, but the man heard it, and he narrowed his eyes.

Before he could say anything, Donatello seemed to have heard the mumble himself. "What do you mean by that, Raph?" The genius seemed unable to process all that's happened in the past five minutes, as Seagrain detected a light tremble to his voice. "What happened to Leo?"

Seagrain decided it was time to intervene, as the three turtles had all but forgotten that he was in the cell along with them. He cleared his throat just as Raphael turned to answer his purple-clad brother. "Now, now, Raphael. You wouldn't want to give away the surprise, would you?"

Having been addressed, Raph turned to glare at him, but Ross paid no mind to those blazing emeralds, but instead focused his attention on a set of baby blues. He noted that the youngest, though still clinging to his elder brother like his life depended on it, had a fire in his eyes that burned deeply and his smile had all but disappeared. Though the expression was difficult to decipher, he figured that the little turtle was just as mad as Raphael.

"Time to get down to business," He held back a small chuckle when the three turtles focused three different glares on him. "While Mistress Jezebeth deals with Leonardo-" A muffled shout burst through the walls, as if to emphasize his statement. "-I am supposed to entertain the three of you for the time being, until Mistress sends for one of you. Though I am not exactly fond of this plan, I am in no position to argue with her wishes. Through careful observation, I have concluded that what Mistress says is true. You Terrenes are much too dependent on each other.

Which is why I am here to separate the easily deceived from the hard-headed bulls of your pitiful family. I thought this was going to present itself to be a difficult task, but through my current analysis and a view of Leonardo and Jezebeth, I have come to choose who will remain in this little cell and who will be coming with me."

It was apparent that he struck a nerve, because Raphael immediately positioned himself between Seagrain and his brothers. "Over my dead body, ya wacko." Said wacko remained calm, clasping his hands behind his back as the turtle fumed. "There ain't no way I'm lettin' you touch 'em, and I sure as hell ain't lettin' you take 'em."

The scientist tilted his head, his eyes flicking over the turtle, he seemed to space out for a moment before a grin then split his face and he let out a dark chuckle. "You think you have a say in this, turtle? I am terribly sorry, but I am taking one of your brothers with me, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. I will drag one of you out of here kicking and screaming if you choose to not cooperate. The Mistress commands it, so let it be done." Biting out his final words, the man snapped his fingers twice and three of the goons from earlier filed in. "Take the little one; I will deal with the other two. Jezebeth wants him delivered unscathed; you are not to harm him. If he becomes unruly," He paused, eyes flashing towards the small group. "You know what to do."

And all hell broke loose. Professor Seagrain and the three demons advanced; the goons going for Michelangelo while Seagrain proceeded to distract the elders. Easier said than done.

He would never admit it, but after he had yanked the older turtles away from their positions guarding the younger, he was having a difficult time keeping them at bay. Even weaponless, the ninjas packed quite a punch and were very determined to get passed him and to their brother, who was currently struggling to keep himself out of the reach of the demons. It only took a few punches and kicks for Seagrain to predict their movements, and he quickly had them subdued, which effectively distracted the orange-clad jokester enough for the demons to grab him in their cold, dead hands.

"Ah! H-hey, lemme go!" Michelangelo shouted, pulling against the holds on him. "Raph, Donnie! No, I don't wanna go with you creeps!" Despite his struggles and pleas for help, the demons, after a heated glare from Seagrain, pulled out the chains and restraints that were used on Raphael, and had the young turtle strapped and held down.

"Let him go, don't hurt him!" Donatello attempted to sneak passed the professor, seeing that he was momentarily distracted. But alas, nothing seemed to get passed him.

His gaze following the goons and the turtle, Seagrain made sure that the group was not interrupted in their travels until they left through the portal. Though Raphael and Donatello were trying their hardest to get passed the man keeping them from saving their baby brother, but he made a point to let the demons follow through with their orders.

"No! Mikey!" Raphael tried to punch his way passed the professor, but he fell short as Seagrain threw him back against the wall. Scrambling back to his feet, he charged the professor with a shout of anger, but was again stopped. "Don't take him!"

A dark laugh rattled the scientist's frame and he once again side-stepped the raging turtle, now that Michelangelo was out of the picture, it would be all but effortless to dodge the blows. "Ah, but you see, youngling, we are not simply taking him, merely… transporting him to a new location."

"That's taking him away, nut job." Raphael spat.

Another chuckle left him, "There is a possibility that you will see him again. Not as soon as you'd like, I assume, but in due time." His glasses flashed in the dim lighting, his hands once again clasped behind his back as a more calm atmosphere set in. "There is also the chance that things will _never_ be the same between the four of you," Seeing the lull in aggression, he took this as he cue to make his departure. "I can assure you that your bond as brothers will be tested; bent and twisted beyond belief. It is up to the lot of you to straighten it out and restore it before it is lost forever."

Before his statement could be questioned, he stepped back through the newly-formed exit; leaving the confused turtles to ponder over his words.

Stepping out into the hallway, Ross's gaze sought out the group that had left shortly before him. It didn't take long to find them, as Michelangelo's screams could be heard within a 10-mile radius. He followed after them at a much slower pace, wondering what Jezebeth wanted with these Terrapins. He knew she came from a different planet, somewhere on the other side of the galaxy. According to the story, she was a renowned scientist on her home world, but a tragic accident caused her to go dark. Her banishment to the "Underworlds" were a result of such an action; Jezebeth started out as a simple grub, but after years of being pushed around by her superiors, she steadily worked her way up as she underwent intense training to gain control of her newly-discovered magic and the demons around her.

Once in power, Jezebeth began creating new workers, even going as far as recruiting them from around the galaxy. This is how Ross Seagrain came to be in her ranks. He rarely questioned her orders, but this time it seemed that there was more to the situation. Though it wasn't obvious, he could see the way she looked at them, the turtles. There was this strange emotion that he could never pinpoint always swimming in her red eyes; every time she looked at those four teenagers.

The demons coming to a stop brought him out of his musings. He had to admit, the little one indeed looked frightened, but orders were orders and they were to be followed down to the letter.

He looked up when Jezebeth stepped from the entrance to the cell, brushing dirt from her dress. "Is everything alright, Madam?" He asked, confused by her sorrowful look.

"Yes, Professor, everything is fine." She met his gaze, red clashing with blue. "It is done." He watched as her eyes flicked over to the motionless youngling clasped in her demons' grips, his shocked and frightened eyes locked on her. She let out a hum of thought, "Put him with his brother. I assume the angry one is with the genius. Leonardo is… incapacitated for the moment; I doubt you will have any trouble dealing with him."

Seagrain nodded and his eyes followed her when she turned and walked down the hall, disappearing around the corner. More questions popped into his head, but he ignored them for the time being, instead focusing on the task at hand. With a flick of his wrist, the demons shoved the turtle through, who let out an indignant squawk.

Ross followed him in and upon entering he expected Leonardo to be on his feet on the defense, ready to bust out with his baby brother and find the other two. The sight that greeted him was more than a little surprising.

The young leader was on the other side of the cell, curled up in a ball with small wheezes leaving him. Occasionally, tremors would wrack is body. It was a pitiful sight, really. The once mighty Leonardo reduced to a frightened little child. One couldn't help but wonder what went on in here, what Jezebeth had told him to make him crumble.

It was completely silent in the dim cell, except for Leonardo's wheezing. Michelangelo's shout all but shattered it as he fought out of the goons' grips.

"Leo," His shout bounced off the walls and he slid down to kneel next to his brother. The small turtle frantically shook his brother, trying to get him to respond. "Leo, Come on bro. Answer me, please. It's Mikey, I'm here, and I'm okay!" His pleas fell on deaf ears, but that didn't stop him from trying to break through his brother's defeated demeanor.

Seagrain, again, just watched on the sidelines as Michelangelo frantically shook his eldest brother. The boy looked to be on the verge of tears, which would mix with the tears dripping down the blue-clad leaders face. His pleas continued to go unheard as Leonardo just continued on wheezing and rocking himself, a haunted look that blurred the stark blue of his eyes.

The scientist, no longer wanting to watch the uneasy exchange between the brothers, glanced over to the goons waiting patiently for new orders. "Go. We are done here." His voice gruff and sharp, his lab coat swishing with his motions. "Leave them for the time being. For now, we wait for new orders. Hopefully, we will have a better understanding of the situation on the morrow.

They followed through without hesitation. Though the goons were often snappy with their words, they were still drones, and drones go along with anything their superiors command.

With a last glance over his shoulder at the two turtles, the younger having broken down in sobs, crouched over his traumatized-looking brother, Professor Ross Seagrain left the sorrowful cell; the portal swirling shut behind him.

 **TBC.**

* * *

 _And another chapter done and posted. I hope this was worth the wait(again)._

 _Next chapter we'll get a peek inside Mikey's head, see how he's dealing with everything that's been going on._

 _And as always..._

 _Leave a review!_

 _Criticize me!_

 _Favorite!_

 _Until next time-_


	6. Chapter 6

_Uh… Hi. Is that an okay greeting after nearly six months? Looks like I actually did jinx myself in the last chapter. Sorry guys, I sort of lost my muse for a bit there, but after getting in touch with an old friend, she helped me get it back._

 _And though this chapter is not as long as I'd hoped it to be, I figured you guys have waited long enough. Let's see what four months of writing, scrapping, brainstorming, and more writing holds._

 _ONWARD!_

* * *

If anyone asked Michelangelo what he wanted at any other time than now, he probably would have said a nice, fresh-out-of-the-oven pizza; baked to perfection with all of his favorite toppings. Now, though? He really just wants to be back in the lair, surrounded by his family, where everything was okay and his eldest brother wasn't curled up in a pitiful heap on the cold floor of the despairing cell as a creepy witch-demon lady watches. Yeah, he'd take the stinking sewers over this in a heartbeat.

Mikey clung to his brother as Leo let out whimpers and sniffles, tremors occasionally wracking in body. Mikey was at a loss, he knew something bad had happened, judging by the scrapes and bruises littering his brother's skin, and not to mention the obvious turmoil going on within his head, but he didn't know what and he was too scared to ask. So, his only option was to wait until the leader was ready to tell him himself, which did not look like it was going to be happening any time soon. Meaning, the energetic turtle had to sit still for longer than five minutes; usually that would be a problem but, considering their current position, he was all for it. Silence seemed rather enjoyable right now.

He was still trying to wrap is head around everything that had happened. How could a night that started out to be great, full of laughter and fun, turn out like this? Mikey was all for dark, gritty, and scary when he and his brothers were not on the receiving end.

He was broken from his thoughts when he felt Leo shift in his arms, letting out a strangled whimper, whether out of discomfort or because his emotions running rampant, the orange-clad turtle did not know.

"Leo…?" Mikey whispered, "Are... Are you okay?" It was a stupid question, but he had to ask.

Leo remained silent but gave a small shake of his head. _"No."_

Swallowing, Mikey ventured further. "W-what… What happened earlier?"

Words could not describe the look of pain, betrayal, and hurt that flashed through Leo's eyes. He swallowed thickly, gaze flicking up to meet Mikey's own. "Do y-you... Re-remember our mutation, Mikey?" Leo began, grinding his teeth together.

The turtle in question furrowed his brow in confusion, "Our mutation?" He tilted his head quizzically when Leo nodded. "Uh, no. Now that I think about it, not really. I just know what Master Splinter told us, how the ' _ooze'_ did it to us when we were babies. How we were just regular turtles, n' stuff, and then _POOF!_ We're mutants." He huffed an uneasy laugh, trying to ease the tension. "Heh heh, right?" His expression, and his emotions in general, was a mix of confusion and concern as he stared down at Leo, who had began to wheeze again. Things must be pretty serious if the eldest was wheezing.

Mikey's confusion heightened tenfold when the elder shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. "That's the thing though… We were never regular turtles; we weren't mutated by mutagen, Mikey. Splinter _lied_ to us!" The tremble in his voice vanished in an instant and he snarled that last bit, though the tremors wracking his body remained, but Mike couldn't tell if they were from his earlier panic or his current anger. "He lied to us about everything, he's not even who he says he is! He's some kind of… of… criminal. An-and get this," He let out a puff of laughter. "We're aliens, Mike, aliens! From space, and we're some kind of experiment gone wrong." His laughter began to crescendo as he continued with his story, and Mikey was beginning to worry a lot more than before. Leo was growing hysterical, and that's the thing, Leo didn't get hysterical. He was always the calm one, the one with a level-head, the one who could handle the pressure. The one who rarely ever believed things the villains said.

Deciding that he could no longer watch his brother spiral into hysterics, Mikey cut his rant short,"Leo, bro, did Jezebeth tell you that?"

His question hung in the air for a few moments as it sunk in, Leo went still and his rant died on his tongue. He looked down, wringing his hands together, suddenly feeling very stupid.

"… Yeah…"

It was quiet and Mikey had to strain to hear his brother's confirmation that it was indeed the demon that told him those things. Mikey grimaced, the stress of their situation was starting to get to Leo and he wasn't thinking clearly; lack of nutrition probably had a hand in that too.

Wait- when was the last time they were even fed? It had to have been a while, considering all the time that's passed. _How long have we even been here?_ He couldn't help but think to himself, his internal clock was all messed up and wonky. Leo always had the best sense of time out of the four of them, but he was a little occupied at the moment. Great, now all he could think about was when the last time they had actual food and what the time was.

He snapped his head up again when Leo let out a groan of frustration, drawing him back to the task at hand.

 _Oh, right._

"I'm so stupid, how could I even think to believe her?" Leo groaned out as he sat up, running his hands down his mask less face. Though the tears were still present, they were subsiding. The shock of what Jezebeth had led him to believe had yet to go away, but now he was berating himself for actually believing such nonsense. He sniffled, rubbing his snout, and stared at his little brother, who gave him a small smile in return.

"It's okay, bro; you're under a lot of pressure. If I were you, I'd believe it too."

"Thanks, Mikey."

The silence returned with a vengeance before an idea suddenly sprang to mind and Mikey grinned up at the irate turtle.. "Hey, Leo?"

The turtle in blue looked up at his brother, confusion evident in his expression as he saw his brother's grin. "Yeah…?"

"When I first got here, you were already starting to believe that we are aliens right?" Leo nodded. "Well, if that's the first this I saw, then it's also the last thing Jezebeth saw. We could use that to our advantage; we can make her think that you believe her, and that you got me to believe it too! Maybe she'll let us out if she thinks we're on her side, and then we can go get Raph and Donnie and get the shell outta here!"

By the time Mikey finished, Leo was sporting a matching grin. "I like the way you think, little brother."

"We won't be able to tell Raph and Don about this, but what they don't know won't kill them…"

 **TBC.**

* * *

 _I'm evil, I know._

 _Next chapter, we'll see how Splinter and all of them are handling the turtles' disappearance and what they're going to do about it._

 _Let's hope I don't spend six months on the next chapter._

 _*Note This chapter did not have a beta, any and all mistakes are mine and mine alone._


End file.
